Can a first person shooter create a diverse and positive player community?

The following case study analyzes, through the lens of Valorant, whether it is possible for an FPS game to build a positive and inclusive gaming community. It will also provide recommendations on creating a positive self-regulating gaming culture.

<aside> 💡 If short on time feel free to jump straight to Recommendations.

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• 🚨DISCLAIMER+LIMITATIONS
• Table of Contents

Preface (Personal Observations)

I will reveal my own background and observations in an attempt to contextualize this case study. Through this, some of my own personal biases may become clear to help better understand the perspective of this article.

I have been an avid Valorant player since its release in 2020, often finding the game a good way for me to connect with my younger sister (who is, by all definitions, a Gamer™). The game is one of the first FPS games I’ve played (I’ve only played Borderlands before this) and the first multiplayer FPS.

Some notable personal observations:

• I never use voice chat because revealing that I am female can lead to targeted harassment, especially if I am doing poorly on the leaderboard.
  • (Not using voice chat has also led to harassment about not using voice chat 😅)
• Half of the characters are diverse female characters and the game is set in a beautiful futuristic world
  • The game doesn’t feel targeted towards a male audience.
  • It is not uncommon for my entire team to be female.
• I’ve encountered numerous young children playing the game and exhibiting concerning toxic traits online.
• Reporting toxic behavior has been successful for me ~20% of the time.
• I have been able to find positive connections with others through the game.

From this game, I’ve noticed that (1) a positive gaming community can make a really big difference for the game experience, and (2) it’s really hard for an FPS company to build that kind of community, because it requires building a culture which is largely intangible.

So, the question that arises is: Is it even possible to build a positive and inclusive gaming community for an aggressive and competitive game like Valorant? I will try to answer this question by analyzing what Valorant has done within the context of its competitors.

Background

Since the release of the first FPS, Maze War, in 1974, the FPS market has seen an exponential increase, estimated to make up almost half of the $240B gaming market. In 2003, Call of Duty was released which increased the popularity of multiplayer FPS games, but was also accompanied with an increase in toxicity within the genre because players could now play against each other. Currently, the FPS genre is commonly seen as the most toxic gaming genre.

<aside> ☝ “Toxicity” in games refers generally to behaviors that negatively impact the gaming experience. This includes harassment, negative attitudes, and intentional sabotage of the game (among others).

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Toxicity can be split into four major categories: